Paul’s rule of practice for the Corinthians, in the previous chapter, is his own in this. He there sought to lay low the setting up of man and its consequences, and here his own walk and practice correspond. God’s rule is the reverse of man’s. It is truly difficult for us to understand this. Into what human creed or imagination does it enter; viz., that in the things of God the wise, mighty, and noble, according to the flesh, have no place; or that the things which are weak, base, despised, and are not, are just those very things which God is pleased to use. Would that we ever remembered this; the result would be that our confidence in all that is human would vastly decrease, and our trust in God increase. Our weakness, instead of casting us down, would the rather be our confidence; for then we should find ourselves just where God is pleased to meet us, and to perfect His strength in our weakness. David refused Saul’s armor, for he had another trust. Israel’s king was cautioned against multiplying horses, wives, silver and gold (Deut. 17:16, 1716But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. 17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. (Deuteronomy 17:16‑17)). All God’s deliverances were when man seemed to be at the weakest point; indeed, this is the principle of His grace: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” God will strip man of all that he esteems, that He may be all in all. He spake by ignorant and unlearned men. Peter was not ashamed to say, “Silver and gold have I none.” How great was the power and boldness of these Galilean fishermen! Would that we had more of what they had, and less of what they had not!
In this chapter Paul lifts up the curtain, and plainly tells the Corinthians the secret of his strength. The weapons of his warfare were not carnal, but mighty. He was determined, at all cost, not to know anything amongst them save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. All the Dagons of the day must bow before the God he worshipped. He had tried his spiritual armor, nor would he use another. Like David, he was in weakness also: he had nothing whereon men could count for success. “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” Had he used his natural weapons, he would have been as strong as they, or as any in the flesh were. (see Phil. 3). This he could not do, so long as his objects were a crucified Jesus, and that their faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (verse 5). He laid aside “excellency of speech,” and “enticing words of man’s wisdom” —Saul’s armor—and clothed himself with the “armor of God;” so that his speech was “in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power.” He came with wisdom and power, but they were from above, so unmistakably, that none could doubt their origin; they filled the vessel which God had sent for service and blessing.
Paul had declared among the Corinthians the testimony of God, and he would have them plainly to understand that he had done so by the ministry of the Holy Ghost. He inquired of them, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” If he had declared onto them “the hidden wisdom,” “the deep things of God,” how else could he have done so, save by the ministry of the Spirit? for He only knoweth the things of God. Man’s wisdom may declare what man’s wisdom can receive, but “the things of God,” no eye can see, nor ear hear. The Spirit that declares must also give spiritual sight and hearing. In a word, Paul would have the Corinthian saints to know that teaching, receiving, discerning, and judging divine things, must all come from the Spirit of God. Without this, no matter how noble, wise, or learned we may be, we are fools in the school of God. The only teacher is the Holy Ghost, and none can understand Him save by His sovereign power.
Such, then, is the precious and needed teaching of this chapter. The first sets before us the operations of the cross of Christ on the fleshly pretensions of men, and as being also the power of God unto salvation. This sets forth the operations of the Holy Ghost as the only medium of communication between the soul and God.